Sir Alex Ferguson can’t put finger on Euro hell

Manchester United attacked well but defended badly in home defeat to Athletic Bilbao

At this stage of the season United are usually challenging for a Premier League and Champions League double. But after being eliminated at the group stage of the Champions League, it’s now the Europa League in tandem with the domestic title.

And Fergie is mystified why his players are struggling to cope with the Thursday - Sunday routine.

The United boss goes into today’s vital Premier League game against in-form West Brom at Old Trafford, saying: “We’ve got to recover from losing to Athletic Bilbao on Thursday night and at the moment, we are finding it difficult playing Thursday and Sunday.

“We are finding it harder than we thought – more so than Wednesday-Saturday in the Champions League. We don’t know why, but it seems that way.

“We are not used to it, obviously, and to marry the two together successfully, we need a big squad of players.

“I’m going to have to think about my team for West Brom, if we want to go through in Europe. I think we can win the game on Thursday – but will it be enough?

“A 2-1 win would not be enough after losing the first leg at home 3-2. We have to score three goals in Bilbao or win two nil.”

Fergie insists his first title race with neighbours Manchester City, rather than regular rivals Chelsea or Arsenal, doesn’t feel any different at this stage.

He said: “No, it would be similar to us and Liverpool really – and we had that a few years ago when they finished second and also about ten years ago – Newcastle and Liverpool.

“But it will be different if it goes to a decider at the Etihad Stadium on April 30.

“I don’t sense any banter around the town because I don’t go into town – I stay away from those areas!

“I haven’t sensed anything in that way. “But at the moment, it definitely looks like a two-horse race and I don’t think either of us are going to drop a lot of points.

“Some will be dropped, though and losing two points in a game would be crucial – for either team.

“I’m not sure if the neutral is on our side for a change, because of the money City have spent. I’ve heard it said, of course, but I don’t pay any attention to that – it doesn’t matter.

“We’ve got enough on our plate worrying about our games.

“The important thing is to win those games and see where it takes us.” Fergie faces West Brom, with a tribute to Baggies boss Roy Hodgson. He said: “Roy’s got the experience and that helps. The career he has had has been fantastic. West Brom are solid and in no danger of being relegated – that’s everything to them.

“Roy is enjoying himself after Liverpool, which was a bad experience for him.

“It was a bit unfair but he can handle it. “West Brom have won three in a row, including beating Chelsea and scoring five at Wolverhampton – and it’s not easy to do that. So it’s not going to be an easy game.

“West Brom were the only team to take points off us at home last season and after being two-up, we could have scored five or six in the first half.

“We missed so many chances but we showed again against Bilbao that we are a team who make chances. “Our attacking play against them was good – our defending let us down.”

Fergie, meanwhile, is expecting a strong finish to the season from Mexican striker Javier Hernandez.

The United boss said: “He’s a terrific player and he’s in double figures for goals already, even though he’s not played as much through having a bad start to the season in terms of the concussion he had and then an ankle injury.

“I’m expecting a strong finish from him. His last-third play is superb – that’s what he is all about.”

Fergie is also looking to his players to be strong this week – when they have to find a solution to their Sunday-Thursday problems if they are to remain firmly in the title race and stay in Europe.